


all i know is this sword and the beating of my heart

by deathishauntedbyhumans



Category: Willow (1988)
Genre: Backstory, Blood and Injury, Lovers To Enemies, M/M, Pre-Canon, Swordfighting, Wordcount: 100-500
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25027441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathishauntedbyhumans/pseuds/deathishauntedbyhumans
Summary: Airk and Madmartigan part ways.
Relationships: Madmartigan/Airk Thaughbaer
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	all i know is this sword and the beating of my heart

**Author's Note:**

> Hello uhhh there is NOTHING heterosexual abt the way Airk WHIPS AROUND and grins at Madmartigan when he first hears his voice in the movie thank u for coming to my ted talk

_ I still serve Galladoorn. You serve no one. Remember?  _

* * *

“So, this is where it ends?” Airk is panting, and he’s got one hand clutching his side where Madmartigan had grazed him under his armour. “I thought you were on our side.”

“I don’t have a side.” Madmartigan is panting, too, but he is still standing straight and tall despite it. “Galladoorn might have its claws in you, but she won’t take me while I still have breath in my lungs.” He steps back, though he keeps his sword up and at the ready. “Come with me, Airk. You don’t have to serve any master—“

Airk gives a hollow, breathless laugh. “Mercenary work has never been within my sights, and you know it.” He pulls his hand from his side and makes a face at the blood staining it. Madmartigan knows well that it isn’t anything more than a flesh wound, but he still has to work hard to keep himself from reacting. 

After months of fighting at Airk’s side, it strikes him harder than he’d like to admit to be the one causing him to bleed. 

“I can’t serve Galladoorn,” Madmartigan says, and he pretends it isn’t a plea for Airk to follow him, to leave the shackles of his army behind and vanish into the woodwork with him. “I won’t. Not when they keep perpetuating this war when they have the means to end it.”

“It isn’t that simple,” Airk snaps, heated. The fight goes out of him a moment later, though, and he shakes his head. When he looks at Madmartigan again, he looks years older and  _ worn,  _ like he’s been fighting for decades instead of years. “You know it isn’t.”

“I know that it could be,” Madmartigan replies, weary in his own right. They’ve had this conversation before, over and over again. He steps back again and sheathes his sword. “Are you certain you won’t come with me?”

“I still serve Galladoorn,” Airk says with a heavy air of finality. He sheathes his own sword after a beat of silence and reaches out, across the space that Madmartigan has put in between them. 

_ I still love you,  _ Madmartigan doesn’t say, clasping Airk’s hand tightly, briefly. 

_ I’ll miss you,  _ Madmartigan doesn’t say as Airk turns away from him for the last time. It hangs in the air, unspoken, unvoiced, but loud nonetheless. 

_ I wish things could be different,  _ Airk doesn’t say over his shoulder when he looks back at Madmartigan before leaving him alone with his thoughts for the last time.

**Author's Note:**

> Someday i’ll expand on this.... maybe.... who knows? 
> 
> Kudos/comments are love! Come scream at me on tumblr @deathishauntedbyhumans


End file.
